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Patented. Aug. 3,1880.

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NrrED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

THOMAS A. EDISON, OF MENLO PARK, NEW JERSEY.

ADDRESSING-MACHINE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 230,621, dated August 3, 1880.

Application led May 10, 1&77.

To all whom, it may concern:

Be it known that I, THoMAs A. EDISON, of Menlo Park, in the county of Middlesex and State of New Jersey, have invented an Improvement in Addressing-Machines, (Case No. 137,) of which the following is a specification.

This invention is made for addressing newspapers or newspaper-slips, or for canceling or numbering in succession; audit consists in the combination, with a strip of paper perforated with numerous holes to form the letters or numbers, of an ink-pad containing a limpid ink and a presser, whereby the ink is forced through the holes in the paper, and in combination therewith I employ a lever and an-automatic device for movingaribbon-paper along progressively.

' In the drawings, Figure lis an elevation, and Fig. 2 is a vertical section, of the improvement.

The presser c has upon its surface a pad, b, containing a limpid ink-such, forinstance, as

that described in my Patent N o. 180,857-and.

this may be supplied from time to time or by a fountain.

The stencil is of paper, and instead of the ink passing through the pores of the paper, or through holes made by cutting out portions of the material, I employ a piece of paper having pnnctnres or needle-holes made through the same where the ink is to mark, so that the paper is not weakened, and hence I am able to move it along so as to give one impression after another. The fabric of the paper should be ink-proof,-or nearly so, in order that it may not absorb the ink and becomenseless by the ink hardening, as is the case where the paper itself is of a porous character, and this stencil-paper is below the inking-pad, sothat when the article to be marked is laid upon the bed d and pressed the ink will pass through the stencil and mark the said article. The lever e upon the fulcrum f is a convenient means for holding the presser a and giving the impression. A spring, g, is adapted to raise the said lever, and a guide-plate, h, is shown with a slot for the lever to pass through.

The perforated Aor stencil paper or material c is shown as aribbon, and this is wound upon the roller or drum 7c, passes through guides n, and is drawn off progressively and moved along by the rotation of the roller m, upon which the paper is wound.

The pawl o, extending from the lever l to the ratchet-wheel o, is shown as a convenient means for moving the paper along, but this may be varied to suit the length or character of the ribbon.

I am aware that paper has been employed that is of a porous texture or that has been rendered porous by chemical action, as in Letters Patent No. 171,780.

I am also aware that paper has been perforated for producing patterns, as in Letters Patent No. 55,869.

I am also aware that stencils have been cut out and ink forced through the openin gs, as in Letters Patent N o. 17 ,340.

In Letters Patent N o. 186,733.21- devi'ce similar to the present is set forth; but priority of invention was decided in my favor.

I claim as my invention.

A stencil made of paper that is punctured with small holes where the ink is to pass, in combination with a pad containing limpid ink, a presser behind that pad, a surface or bed for the material to be printed, and means, substantially as described, for moving the stencil along progressively, as set forth.

A Signed by me this 8th day of May, 1877.

- THOS. A. EDISON.

Witnesses:

GEO. T. PINGKNEY, HAROLD SERRELL. 

